Projects / 3/12/2024

Santo Spirito hospital heliport

The helipad was recently renovated to make it waterproof and resistant to loads

The heliport at Santo Spirito Hospital in Pescara (Italy) serves as a vital emergency service base, located atop a multi-storey carpark for direct access to the A&E department. In 2020, renovations were undertaken by Pescara Local Health Authority to address damages and ensure a durable, waterproof surface.

The heliport at Santo Spirito hospital in Pescara is one of the two bases in the region of Abruzzo (Central Italy) used by the emergency services. The helipad is an area on top of a multi-storey carpark from where patients can be taken directly to the A&E department.

The helipad had various damaged ares and, in 2020, Pescara Local Health Authority decided the time had come to renovate it to guarantee a waterproof surface that would be able to withstand loads.

After treating the substrates with PRIMER SN+QUARTZ 0.5 and, in some areas, with PRIMER EP RUSTOP, surfaces were waterproofed with PURTOP 1000 polyurea membrane. Surfaces were then finished with MAPECOAT TC aliphatic polyurethane finish.

Work on the helipad

The total area covered by the work was around 2,000 m², 650 of which were for the actual helipad. For the waterproofing work Mapei experts proposed using a series of specific products to create a seamless waterproof layer.

It was decided to use PURTOP 1000 – a two-component, solvent-free, pure polyurea-based membrane applied by spray with a high pressure bi-mixer pump – as part of PURTOP SYSTEM DECK, a dedicated system for waterproofing roofs used by vehicles and for bridge and viaduct decks.

Preliminary work was carried out with power tools to prepare the surface which, by removing the old concrete layer, eliminated all traces of dirt, loose deposits and residues.

The next step was to waterproof the structural joints by applying a 1-2 mm thick layer of ADESILEX PG4 epoxy adhesive, followed by the application of MAPEBAND TPE tape sidelong reinforced with polyester non-woven fabric. A second layer of ADESILEX PG4 was then applied so that the new layer completely covered the edges of the tape. The entire area was then skimmed using a flat trowel and, while the products was still fresh, it was broadcast with QUARZT 0.5 sand, which was then removed once the adhesive had cured.

Runoff points to discharge surface rainwater were created by installing stainless steel drains inside holes made through the concrete layer. An even coat of ADESILEX PG4 was applied “wet on wet” and the stainless steel drains were inserted, followed by a further coat of epoxy adhesive. In order to create a sufficiently rough surface and improve adhesion of the waterproofing product, the surface was broadcast with QUARZT 0.5 quartz sand, which was then removed once the adhesive had cured. The joints between horizontal and vertical surfaces were sealed with MAPEFLEX PU 45 FT one-component, rapid, high modulus, thixotropic polyurethane sealant.

Waterproofing operations

Once the concrete surface had been cleaned and prepared and the substrate was dry or had less than 4% residual moisture, it was primed with PRIMER SN two-component, solvent-free, fillerized, epoxy resin-based adhesion promoter. The product ensured that all the surface porosity in the substrate was completely sealed. While the product was still fresh it was then broadcast with QUARTZ 0.5.

After cleaning all the metal features, such as the channels around the perimeter and the flashing, they were treated with PRIMER EP RUSTOP to improve the bond of the waterproofing product applied afterwards.

After properly preparing the substrates, PURTOP 1000 two-component, solvent-free, polyurea membrane was applied by spray to waterproof the surfaces. The membrane was applied seamlessly over all the horizontal surfaces and hemmed up along the sides, as well as on the inside of the drains positioned on the surfaces, with the thickness of the membrane being a minimum of 3 mm in the landing area and of at least 2 mm on all the remaining surfaces. Thanks to its excellent crack-bridging properties, including at low temperatures, its elongation capacity, resistance to mechanical loads and stresses and its ability to follow irregularities in substrates, PURTOP 1000 is able to form an elastic, seamless and highly resistant waterproofing layer.

The final step was to apply three layers of MAPECOAT TC coloured, wear-resistant, slip-resistant aliphatic polyurethane finish to protect the whole system.